Mung beans (Phaseolus arueus) are germinated in darkness to produce seedlings which are a common article of the Oriental cuisine. They are also used as an attractive adornment to salads in other cuisines.
The general method of producing mung bean sprouts has been to place a layer of seeds on the bottom of a container having drainage facilities. The beans are soaked for 10 or more hours, then sprinkled with water, generally intermittently, in the absence of light. After 5 to 6 days, the mung bean sprouts are harvested for consumption. They can average, for domestic species, from about 2 to about 2.5 mm in diameter, and are about 5 cm in length.
The present invention is directed to a method to enhance the diameter of such sprouts without a material sacrifice in length.